


So this is Christmas

by timethetalewastold (Bilo79)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 1D AU, Anal, Blow Jobs, Frotting, M/M, Manchester AU, Prompt Fill, like if you squint - Freeform, non-famous 1D, slightly sub Harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-07 07:57:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8789830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bilo79/pseuds/timethetalewastold
Summary: Harry runs a yoga studio, he runs into Louis and offers him a discount because he looks stressed. Neither of them could have guessed what would happen next. Thank you to lastingstyles for the lovely prompt :-)It all takes place in Manchester because that's where I'm from  and I thought it would be fun to set it here. It's Christmas fluff and filth, my friends! Enjoy!





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [etherealbliss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/etherealbliss/gifts).



“Hey baby” Harry yawned.

The black and white cat tilted her head at him and meowed forlornly.

“It’s ...” from under the huddle of covers, Harry glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table, “six fifteen, Sal, are we really doing this?”

Another plaintive meow.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes again. “I’ll make a deal with you, Sal” he drawled, sleepily, “Gimme another fifteen minutes and I’ll give you the posh cat food that Aunty Gemma left.”

The cat swiped at Harry’s face and stalked angrily off the bed.

“Fuck’s sake, Sal!” Harry sat up to watch his cat disappear through the bedroom door. He looked at himself in the mirror through the gloomy Winter morning. Turning his head slightly, he could make out a nice bruise already forming and two scratch marks running across his cheek bone. Bloody cat.

He swung his legs out of bed and pulled on a hoody from the back of the door, making his way into the kitchen to feed the cat. She was sat by her food bowl and did not look particularly ashamed about her behaviour. Harry twitched his nose at her.

“It’s a good job I love you” he told her, scraping food into her bowl as she began to wind around his legs. “But you’re not having the nice food, now. Naughty cats don’t get nice food from Aunty Gemma. You can have your ordinary food.” Sal began to lap at the food, unperturbed.

Harry yawned and leant against the work surface in the kitchen. “Is this what my life has come to, Sal?” he wondered absently, “talking to my cat? Calling my sister ‘Aunty Gemma’ to the ungrateful cat? Getting beaten up  - also by the same little shit of a cat?”

Sal continued to eat.

Harry shuffled back into his room to get ready.

 

                                                            ------------------------------------------

 

Harry stepped out in the cold Winter air, wrapped in his thick black coat, his hair pulled up into a messy bun. It was a short walk to the tram stop and his journey to work was only a couple of stops, so Harry didn’t mind the commute so much. Besides, it gave him a opportunity to people-watch and that was one of Harry’s very favourite pastimes.

He knew a lot of the regulars by sight, since he took the tram to work every day. He liked to imagine where his fellow passengers were going each day and what they did. He made up stories for them in his head – the bald guy currently stood to his right, who was always furtively texting: Harry decided he was having an affair. The young black girl leaning against the station wall, she was always in gym kit, her hair scraped into a tight ponytail: Harry had concluded she must be a dancer; she was never still, always bouncing on her heels. Harry had known a dancer once, who fizzed with the same sort of energy.

The loud speaker announced the arrival of Harry’s tram and the people on the platform began to gather their bags and belongings to them as the tram pulled into sight. In the Information Office on the platform, someone had strung tinsel around the window and Harry could hear a Christmas song on the radio. It made him feel lighter as the tram doors began to open.

He huffed a happy sigh as he boarded the tram. Harry loved Christmas. He loved the sparkle and the excitement and the kitschness of it all. He loved seeing cheerful familiar faces over mulled wine and mince pies as he caught up with friends and family. It was his favourite time of year, and he usually spent the whole of December in a state of thinly-contained giddiness.

The tram jolted as it changed tracks and Harry bumped gently into the guy standing next to him. He definitely wasn’t a regular commuter, Harry reflected as he took time to notice him now. He was shorter than Harry, thin and slight, Harry could tell, though he was bundled up in a thick overcoat and scarf. His features were sharp and fine and he had the bluest eyes Harry had ever seen. He was quite simply, Harry decided, magnificent and Harry wondered how on earth he hadn’t noticed him as soon as he stepped on the tram.

“Niall, just tell them I’m going to be late” the man was saying into his mobile. “No don’t tell them bloody why! Don’t tell them my car’s a heap of junk that doesn’t start in cold weather and I’ve had the get the tram. AGAIN.” He scuffed the toe of his boot against the door of the train and sighed. “No ... sorry ... no, I know you didn’t mean to tell them last time. Just ... make an excuse or something.”

“Tell them your cat’s ill” Harry suggested conversationally.

“My cat’s ill?” the guy repeated, glancing at Harry now. “What? No, Niall, I haven’t bought a cat ... no, it’s just ... some guy on the tram.”

“Harry” Harry stated, holding out a hand. The guy hesitated then tucked his phone under his chin, shuffled his laptop case into his other hand and shook Harry’s hand cautiously.

“Well ... Harry ... I don’t have a cat. They know I don’t have a cat ... No, Niall, Harry’s the guy ... hmm? The guy on the tram. No, he doesn’t have a cat ...”

“I do have a cat, actually” Harry interrupted.

The guy glanced at the bag over Harry’s shoulder. “Like, with you? You have a cat with you?”

“Oh! No!” Harry smiled, “No, she’s at home. But I doubt you’d like her, to be honest. Most people don’t - she’s a bit of a shit.”

“Hmmm” the guy looked at Harry appraisingly. “Hmm? No, Niall, it’s ok, there’s no cat on the tram.”

Harry smiled encouragingly.

“Listen” the guy was speaking into his phone again, “Just make any excuse ... um, anything ... and I’ll be there as soon as I can, ok? Ok. See you in a bit.” Conversation apparently over, he slipped his phone back into his coat pocket and continued to look at Harry.

“You’ve been in the wars” he remarked, indicating Harry’s cheekbone.

Harry winced. “Ah, yeah, that was the cat” he said, apologetically. Although he wasn’t sure why he should be apologising for Sal’s awful behaviour, since she was never actually sorry herself.

“Blimey, she really is a shit” the guy commented. He looked sympathetic.

“She’s a rescue cat” Harry told him, holding onto the rail as the train rounded a corner. “She’s got issues.”

“Haven’t we all” mumbled the guy and Harry brushed against him again as the carraige swayed.

“What are your issues?” Harry wondered out loud, studying the man before him. He certainly looked stressed.

The guy pressed his lips together in a thin line as if he was trying to suppress a smile. “Do you always just say what you’re thinking?” he enquired in an amused tone.

“Generally, yeah” Harry agreed, “Saves time.”

“Hmmm. Well my immediate issue is my car’s shit and I’ve had to take the tram to work.”

Harry waited, so the guy continued.

“Add to that, I have a presentation to make in ...” he checked his watch, “thirty five minutes and I should therefore already be at my desk, making sure it’s all ok. My colleague, Niall – lovely bloke, but can’t lie for shit – is the one now meant to be covering my back and telling my manager and the rest of my team that I have it all under control, when in fact, Harry, this is very much not under control at all.”

Harry nodded, sagely.

“Right. Well, I can’t help with any of that” he replied and the guy bit out a laugh. “But I’ll tell you what ...“ Harry paused to root about in his bag for what he needed. He pulled out a small card and handed it to the guy. “I run a yoga studio – don’t laugh! It could be good for you. You seem ... stressed, and we can help with that. Seriously. Show that card and you’ll get 20% off, ok?”

The guy composed his face and looked at the card, then back up to Harry.

“I’ve never done yoga in my entire life” he admitted.

“Well, I can tell that from the set of your shoulders” Harry remarked and laughed at the guy’s mock-offended expression. “Just ... give it a chance, yeah? You won’t regret it.”

The guy looked at the card again, obviously considering Harry’s offer.

“This is my stop” Harry told him. The guy looked around, as if he’d momentarily forgotten they were on a tram. “I’ll see you soon, yeah?” Harry made his way towards the door.

“Yeah, maybe you will” the guy replied and Harry could have been mistaken, but he could swear the guy winked at him as Harry stepped off the tram. Harry stood on the platform and watched the tram pull away.

“I just met the man of my dreams and didn’t even ask his name” he said, to no-one in particular. Around him, the busy Christmas crowds went on their way.


	2. Chapter 2

At lunch time, Louis ducked out of the office for a fag. Around him, office workers were starting to string fairy lights and decorations over their windows and desks. It exasperated him, this creeping up of festivities – it seemed to take over the whole of December in recent years, rather than just the week before Christmas. It was almost pointless asking anyone to do any serious work for pretty much the whole month.

Not Louis, though: he kept ploughing on with his work regardless and hadn’t flinched at all last when his boss asked him to lead today’s meeting. He’d worked on it all weekend and it would never have occurred to him to protest that it was _December_ and he had stuff to do. The presentation had gone well, all things considered. His boss had looked quietly impressed, dipped her head in silent acknowledgement and left, but Louis had a good feeling about it. Niall had hi-fived him as soon as she was out of sight and Louis felt a gentle buzz of satisfaction as he shuffled his notes together and murmured thankyous to his colleagues. After his disastrous start to the morning, his day seemed to be turning around.

Of course, the journey into work hadn’t been a _total_ disaster.

Louis turned the card over in his fingers and read it again as he exhaled smoke into the frosty air of the city. Yoga. He’d never tried yoga in his life – why had this Harry person said he could tell? Something about his shoulders? Inside his winter coat, Louis rolled his shoulders indignantly, as if to prove that he could, but then winced at the sharp twist of pain that ran down the back of his neck as he tried.

“Thought I’d find you here” Niall announced as he bounded down the steps into the courtyard and bundled into the recessed doorway where Louis was huddled. “What’s this?” he pulled the card out of Louis’ fingers and studied it. Louis let him; he generally found it was easier. He took another drag on his cigarette as Niall read out loud: “’Yoga studio’ – seriously, Lou? Yoga? You?” Niall’s face cracked into a grin.

“What’s so funny?” Louis pouted, snatching the card back and shoving into the depths of his coat pocket.

“Like, don’t you have to be chilled to do yoga? You are literally the least chill person I know” Niall shook his head, still grinning.

“I can be chill!” Louis protested, his voice raising a little and sounding distinctly un-chill.

Niall raised an eyebrow. “Actually, I think it could be good for you. Maybe they could teach you how to be chill” he suggested, “you know: de-stress.” He turned Louis to face him and began to aggressively rub his shoulders until Louis batted his hands away.

They squabbled and jostled whilst Louis finished his cigarette, they bickered over where to go for lunch and then as they ate lunch, they argued some more about whether a donkey could run faster than a goat. “Have you seen a goat run at full speed, Louis?” Niall enquired around a mouthful of sandwich, “bro, they are _fast_.”

“Yeah” countered Louis, “but we were at Blackpool once when the girls were younger, and one of the donkeys on the sands got loose. I’m telling you, man, no-one could catch it, the little shit was up and down that beach like you wouldn’t believe, and no-one could get near.”

It was the usual sort of lunch then, nothing out of the ordinary. However by the end of it, an idea had taken root in Louis’ mind: he was going to call into Harry’s yoga studio. He was going to show Harry and Niall that he could be chill and he definitely could do yoga. And he was going to see Harry again and check whether the sight of him still filled his tummy with the most alarming, unnecessary and wonderful butterflies.  

 

                                    .....................................................................................................

 

After work, Louis didn’t take the tram home. With a frisson of excitement or nerves, he couldn’t distinguish which; he headed away from the tram stop and instead strode in the direction of the Northern Quarter, where the yoga studio was. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and turned his collar up against the cold Manchester air, running silently through a list in his head, of all the things he had to do tomorrow. By the time he’d gotten to item number fifteen on his list, he found himself in the Northern Quarter and looked around. It was the cool part of town, all Victorian factories and warehouses now taken over by artists and hipsters. Louis smirked to himself and thought wryly that Harry must feel right at home nestled here in the most achingly hip district of the city.

The door to the yoga studio was hidden down a cobbled alleyway that Louis had never even noticed before, despite having lived in the city most of his adult life. He double-checked the address on the card – number 28 – and looked up to find the same number etched into the glass panel above the door. Swallowing his apprehension, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. A bell above the door jingled and beaded curtain to Louis’ left twitched before a blonde head poked out of it.

“Hi, I’m Perrie, I’ll be right with you” the girl smiled, before disappearing behind the curtain again. Louis could hear muffled voices coming from behind the curtain.

The girl – Perrie – was saying “For the love of God, Liam, no-one even wears leg warmers these days.”

A deeper voice – _Liam_ , Louis supposed, replied, adamant. “I don’t care what anyone else wears, Perrie, I like them.”

As more muttering and rustling came from behind the curtain, Louis took the opportunity to look around the small reception area. It was neutrally decorated, painted cream plaster walls and wooden floors with ferns and yucca plants in one corner. There was a wooden reception desk and a number of certificates dotted around the walls: _Perrie Edwards_ , Louis read _, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik_ and there – _Harry Styles_. His name appeared over and over, on all manner of different certificates charting his various qualifications and experience. Louis touched the frame containing one of Harry’s certificates and read the name again. Harry Styles. That’s who he wanted to see, he allowed himself to admit; that’s who he wanted to teach him yoga. Harry.

The blonde girl appeared from behind the bead curtain again schooled her face into a smile for Louis. “Sorry about that” she told him, “some ... staff issues. How can I help today?”

Louis fished the card out of his overcoat pocket and showed it to her. “I er ... ran into a colleague of yours earlier” Louis explained. “He told me I should show this card and I’d get a discount. I haven’t really done yoga before.”

“No problem” Perrie bent under the desk to find some paperwork for Louis. “Our instructor, Liam, runs an excellent beginner’s course” she assured him.

“Oh” Louis’ expression fell a little, making Perrie pause and cock her head at him, waiting for him to explain why that might be a problem. Louis bit his lower lip and took a breath. “It’s just that the guy I ran into ... your colleague ... Harry, that is ... I was sort of hoping he might be my instructor?” Louis felt his cheeks pink at the ridiculousness of this situation, as Perrie narrowed her eyes and considered him.

“Harry is the boss” she told him at last, “as our most experienced instructor, he only takes advanced classes, I’m afraid.”

“Couldn’t I do that?” Louis pushed, “how hard can it be?”

Perrie did her best to smother a grin, but Louis saw the upward twitch of her mouth nonetheless. “Harry has trained for many years, including time in India” she explained gently. “He still takes twice-yearly retreats with one of the oldest yoga practitioners in the UK. Harry takes yoga very seriously and it does take quite some commitment to reach his level.”

Louis blushed again, embarrassed at his underestimation of Harry’s career. “Right. Yes. Sorry. I should ... I’m going to go” Louis mumbled and turned towards the door.

Just as he did, the curtains rustled again and this time a familiar figure pushed through them. Louis paused. Harry looked even more beautiful than he had this morning, Louis decided – his hair pulled up into a messy bun, with strands of unruly curls escaping down the back of his neck;  loose-fitting yoga top and trousers; feet bare against the wooden floor. Louis thought he had never seen anything or anyone so beautiful.

Harry glanced back at Louis and a flash of recognition crossed his face. “You came!” he remarked, a wide, honest grin breaking out across his face, “I didn’t think you would!”

Louis allowed himself to smile back. “Yeah, it was probably a bit of a mistake to be honest” he replied, “I wanted to take your class, but Perrie here explained I might find that a bit tricky.” Louis glanced gratefully at Perrie, who shrugged her shoulders in sympathy.

Harry leant on the desk and looked appraisingly at Louis. “Don’t go” he said, simply, “you made the effort to come and I’m glad.” He reached out a hand, “What’s your name?”

Louis inched back into the room and took Harry’s hand, carefully. He held it, just for a beat, as Harry looked at him and yet it felt like a lifetime to Louis, standing there in some silly studio in the Northern Quarter and looking into those green, sincere eyes and trying to remember how to speak. “Louis” he managed to say at last, “I’m Louis.”

“Hello Louis, I’m Harry” Harry said, and they still didn’t let go of each other’s hands.

“I know” Louis told him. “I remember – Harry with the killer cat.”

They both grinned then, and let go of each other’s hands, as if the spell had been broken. Louis shoved his hands back in his pockets in case he did something foolish like reach out to touch Harry’s injured cheekbone. Because he really did want to, _blimey_ , those cheek bones.

“Perrie’s right, my class would be a bit too much for someone who’s never done yoga before” Harry agreed, “but if you like, I could do some private tuition? Just you and me, then we can go at your pace.”

“Since when do you do private tuition?” Perrie asked, looking up at Harry, baffled.

Harry hip-bumped her a little more vigorously than necessary, whilst continuing to smile at Louis. “Such a joker” he grinned, still looking at Louis, “of course I do private tuition.”

“Great” Louis beamed, “um, when are you free?”

“Well, classes usually finish at nine pm” Harry shrugged, “why don’t you come after tomorrow’s class?”

Louis felt a rush of adrenaline, nerves, excitement, _something_ , at the thought of being alone with Harry tomorrow night. It was so so long since Louis had felt something this powerful, he realised – he felt _alive_ again. And it was all to do with Harry.

He filled in his details on the form Harry handed him, and agreed to be at the studio at nine pm the following evening. “Wear something loose” Harry advised him, “we’re going to be stretching” and Louis nearly expired with giddiness and anticipation.   


	3. Three

 The following afternoon, in a break between classes, Harry and Liam were sprawled across the overstuffed sofa in the staffroom, whilst Zayn perched on the sofa arm, braiding Harry’s hair.

“D’ya hear about this one?” Liam enquired, nudging Zayn and gesturing to Harry, “agreed to do private tuition for some guy who’s never done yoga before.”

Zayn smirked and carried on braiding. “He hot, Hazza, by any chance?” he grinned, and Liam chuckled conspiratorially.

“How’d you even hear?” Harry asked Liam, ignoring Zayn’s insinuation.

“Perrie texted me last night after work” Liam replied, finishing up the last of his yoghurt, apparently unconcerned by the invasion into Harry’s business.

“Can’t do a thing without everyone knowing about it round here” Harry grumbled, unconvincingly. “I am your boss, you lot, you know? Shouldn’t really be texting each other about me.”

“’S fun though” Zayn teased as he tied off the braid in Harry’s hair. He rubbed Harry’s shoulders a little by way of apology, although he knew Harry never really got mad at them, he wasn’t an average sort of boss. “So come on, Harry, what’s he like?”

Harry blew across the surface of his peppermint tea and stalled for time. How could he describe Louis? How could he tell his friends and colleagues that this man had simply stumbled into his life yesterday and taken his breath away? Or that every time Harry remembered he would see him again tonight, his heart began to hammer in his chest with anticipation?  He knew he couldn’t say any of those things to Zayn and Liam without them dissolving into laughter and then taking great delight in annoying him for the rest of the afternoon.

“You’re both so nosy” is what Harry said instead. Liam and Zayn exchanged knowing looks over his head and let him finish his tea in peace.

 

Nine o clock seemed to arrive in no time. Harry’s final class finished and he didn’t have time to check his appearance or re-do his bun, before he noticed Louis stood in the doorway of the studio, looking as cool and stunning as ever. Harry felt hot and unkempt in comparison, but Louis didn’t seem to notice. He raised his eyebrows in greeting to Harry and held the door open to let one of Harry’s pupils out of the studio.

Another of Harry’s students noticed him – Maya had been coming to Harry’s classes for a couple of years and was so good, she was considering becoming a yoga instructor herself. She smiled shrewdly at Harry, “Friend of yours?” she enquired with a good-natured glint in her eye.

Harry’s cheeks coloured a little more and he pushed a strand of hair out of his face. “Something like that” he murmured.

“Well, you have fun” Maya whispered as she rolled up her mat and towel, “it’s about time, Harry Styles.”

Louis waited until the last of Harry’s pupils had said their goodnights and left, before making his way over to where Harry stood. “I appreciate you making time for me” he began, holding out his hand.

“Oh!” Harry hurriedly wiped his sweat-damp hands on his pants “Sorry, you probably shouldn’t shake my hand to be honest, I’m too hot!”

“I’ll say” Louis remarked, and there was that eyebrow, arching again. If Harry thought he already couldn’t blush any deeper, those two words proved him wrong. Louis smirked and began to unfasten his coat.

“Listen I didn’t know what to wear, so ...” he indicated to himself, vaguely, “t-shirt and joggers ok?”

“Perfect” Harry breathed. Crikey, this was going to be a long long hour.

 

Harry lent Louis a yoga mat, and unfurled his own mat near enough to Louis that he could observe what he was doing. They sat opposite each other on the floor and, despite Harry’s fear that the lesson would be an awkward disaster; he found that once he began, it was pretty easy to talk to Louis. Yoga was Harry’s passion and once he began to explain its origins and aims to Louis, any self-consciousness he may have had seemed to dissipate.

He talked about the importance of breathing and had Louis feel his tummy to allow himself to feel his breaths and begin to become aware of them. They did some gentle stretches and again focussed on Louis’ breathing, trying to slow it down. As the hour went on the stretches became more adventurous and Harry coaxed Louis into some basic yoga positions without Louis even being aware of it. As the hour drew to a close, Harry noticed a sheen of sweat across Louis’ face and felt a little better that he wasn’t as perfectly put-together as he had been at the beginning of the yoga session. It meant Louis had been really trying and Harry had to concede he was pleasantly surprised.

At just after ten, Harry had Louis stretch his legs one last time, take one more deep breath and relax. Harry sat up on his mat and regarded Louis quietly. “You did really well” he remarked, “that was a great start.”

Louis flopped back dramatically onto his own borrowed mat and threw an arm across his eyes. “A start?” he repeated with a sly grin, “you nearly finished me, Styles! Was that really a beginner’s session?”

Harry laughed and flicked Louis with his towel, “yes it was, Tomlinson, as you well know. Next week will be harder.” He paused, “that is ... I mean, if I haven’t put you off. Will you still come next week?”

Louis peeked from under his arm. “Try and stop me” he murmured and Harry turned away so that Louis wouldn’t see his pleased expression.

“You want me to stay with you whilst you lock up?” Louis asked, as they started to pack away their things.

Harry pulled his hair out of its bun and let it fall around his shoulders, “um, you could, if you don’t mind? It’s pretty safe around here to be honest, but a little company whilst I’m closing the place up wouldn’t hurt.”

He tossed Louis the keys, not failing to notice Louis’ lightning-quick reaction as he reached out to catch them. Louis’ movements were sharp and cat-like, the exact opposite of Harry’s own slow careful manner, but Harry liked the contrast. He turned out the lights around the studio and office, and mumbled “remind me to stop at a post box,” the words muffled by the letter he had shoved in his mouth on the way out. He turned to find Louis waiting for him by the front door, wearing the most curious expression on his face. “What?” Harry looked at him questioningly. 

“Nothing” Louis’ expression was still unfathomable. “You just ... you look beautiful with your hair down like that. No, that’s ... you look beautiful with your hair up too. That is to say, it’s nothing to do with me how you wear your hair anyway, obviously, I just mean ...”

“Thank you” Harry cut in. He turned the key in the lock and they stood together on the cobbled street outside the studio. They could hear voices and music coming from the next street, and the rumble of traffic and trams from in the other direction; it never fell completely quiet in this part of town.

“I’m meeting some friends from work now” Louis told him, “it’s not far from here, you’re more than welcome to come along.”

Harry shook his head. “I’m going to head back, thanks, it’s been a long day.”

Still neither of them moved.

“Can I walk you to your car?” Louis asked. The music in the next street grew briefly louder, as someone opened the door to a pub and music from the jukebox drifted out. 

“I take the tram” Harry told him, shoving his hands into his pockets. In the yellow street light, Harry thought he had never seen anyone look quite so amazing as this man, with his fine features and sharp jaw line and eyes that twinkled with restrained mischief.

“Can I walk you to the tram stop?” Louis persisted. His eyes crinkled even more now as he tried to smother a grin.

Harry smiled. “Louis, it’s on Market Street, it’s like literally around the corner” he grinned, knowing that Louis would have an answer.

“Anything could happen between here and there” Louis mock-admonished him, “let me walk you, Harry.”

Which is how Harry ended up looping his arm giddily through Louis’ and enjoying the novelty of being walked to the tram stop on Market Street, a whole minute away from his studio. It felt nice walking closely next to Louis, feeling his thigh brush against his and his hair softly touch Harry’s face as they walked. As they approached the stop, Harry could see the yellow tram pulling around the corner, ready to break the spell and carry him away from Louis.

“Your carriage awaits” Louis announced, “thanks again for tonight.”

“It was my pleasure” Harry told him, pulling away as the tram came to a stop.

Louis caught hold of his hand, just for a second, then let go. “No” he replied, “no, it was definitely mine.”

When Harry got home, he ruffled Sal’s neck as she greeted him, mewling for food. He emptied some cat food into her bowl, not really paying attention to her, too pre-occupied by the way Louis had looked at him. He had held his hand. Briefly. He had called him beautiful. With a decisive huff, Harry flopped on to the sofa and typed a message on his phone, pressing send before he could change his mind:

_Thanks for walking me to the tram stop. H x_

Within a minute, his phone pinged with a new message:

_Do you keep all your students’ mobile numbers in your phone? L x_

Harry smirked and typed out a reply. _Not all of them. H x_

Again, Louis reply was instant: _Lucky me then. L x_

Before Harry could reply, his phone pinged again: _Btw, don’t forget to stop at a post box. L x_


	4. Four

The next morning, as Louis was getting ready, he received another text from Harry:  
  
_Since you’re so good at remembering, pls will you remind me to buy milk on my way home? I’ve just run out. H x_  
  
Louis paused with the phone in his hand, and when he glanced back up at the mirror, he was surprised by the soft smile he found himself wearing. He flicked his head as if to shake Harry out of his hair, and tried to smooth his expression back into something more respectable. However, he apparently couldn’t help himself texting back:  
  
_I’ll expect payment. L x_  
  
As he was heading out of his door, he felt his phone vibrate with a new message.  
  
_K. I owe you a jammy dodger next time I see you. H x_  
  
Louis leant against his car and allowed himself to smile. He bit his lip as he text back:  
  
_That sounds very unhealthy. I thought your body was a temple. L x_  
  
Harry’s reply was instant this time:  
  
_You can share my granola bar then. H x_  
  
On the drive to work, Louis considered carefully the butterflies in his stomach when he thought about Harry, taking time out of his day to text Louis – finding flimsy excuses, like needing more milk. It meant he was on Harry’s mind then, and the thought thrilled Louis more than he was ready to admit. It was too long, he realised, since he had felt this sort of giddy excitement; he’d been so serious, focussed on work all year. He wondered how Harry had spied a crack in that determined veneer and burst in with his wide grin and those dimples, unleashing a silliness which Louis had forgotten he was capable of.  
  
Louis didn’t know, but that night as he left work, he text Harry again:  
  
_Don’t forget milk, curly. L x_  
  
When he got home and checked his phone, he found Harry had sent a picture of himself in a shop, holding a carton of milk. There was that grin again, those dimples. Louis felt himself falling.

 

 

Over the next few days, texts between Harry and Louis became more frequent.

Louis texted Harry and accused him of deliberately straining every muscle in his body with his ridiculous yoga routines.

Harry sent Louis a photo he’d taken in Piccadilly Gardens, of a pigeon strutting through some breadcrumbs whilst inadvertently carrying a scrap of tinsel.

Louis sent Harry a picture of himself at his desk, looking self-conscious and uncomfortable on Wear A Christmas Jumper To Work Day. They checked in on each other daily, without either of them noticing it had become a routine.

 _Any news on that granola bar, Curly? L x_  
  
_I haven’t forgotten. H x_  
  
When Louis’ phone vibrated with another text on Friday lunchtime, Niall groaned. “Is that your yoga instructor again?” he grumbled around a mouthful of pasty. “The hell do you two find to talk about – lentils?”  
  
Louis grinned, “pretty much.”  
  
_Hi. Just a thought, but Liam’s sick so I’m covering his Beginners Class tonight, if you’re free? No probs if not. H x_  
  
Louis considered, before typing back:  
  
_I would, but I haven’t got any kit with me. Can’t do yoga in a suit  L x_  
  
The reply was instant:  
  
_You can borrow clothes from me. Always got spares in the studio. H x_  
  
Louis smothered a grin.  
  
_Slight size different between us. Don’t know if you’ve noticed? L x_  
  
Louis listened to Niall complaining about their boss for a few minutes, before his phone vibrated with Harry’s reply:  
  
_C’mon, Chop Suey, you’ll look good whatever you wear. H x_  
  
Against his better judgement, Louis agreed to go along to the six o clock class after work. He closed his phone, put it in his pocket and turned his attention back to Niall.  
  
“Something going on between you two?” Niall enquired, cocking his head to one side and eying Louis quizzically.  
  
Louis shrugged his shoulders. “Possibly” he replied, “I think we’re flirting. Well, I’m definitely flirting and I get the impression he is too.”  
  
Niall nodded. “S’been a long time since you were out there, mate. Do you good to have a bit of fun again.” He rolled the rubbish from lunch into a ball and regarded Louis. “You think a lot of him?”  
  
“I ... yeah. I do. It’s been less than a week, but yeah, I already do” Louis sighed. “It shouldn’t make any sense, but he’s ... not like anyone else I know. You know?”  
Niall nodded again and Louis reflected once more on what a good friend Niall was to him. He could be loud and frivolous and a little overdramatic, but he could also be quiet and understated when Louis needed him to, and this was one of those times.  
  
“Don’t know if I’m doing the right thing here, Nialler” Louis mumbled softly. “Don’t know if I can take being hurt again.”  
  
Niall ruffled his hair affectionately. “Not everyone’s gonna hurt you, Lou” he replied.

 

 

At six o clock, Louis found himself back at Harry’s yoga studio for the third time in less than a week. Liam was sat at the reception desk with his feet up on a stool. When he introduced himself, Louis gave a sharp double-take. “Oh! I thought you were ill.”  
  
“Injured, more like” Liam pouted, indicating his ankle, which Louis noticed was strapped up in a bandage. “Got my feet tangled up in my leg warmers” he explained and Louis hoped his expression came across a sympathetic whilst he tried to smother a giggle. He somehow turned it into a cough and Liam didn’t seem to notice, gesturing for him to go through to the larger studio, where Harry taught.  
  
Harry didn’t notice him at first; he was speaking to an older lady on the other side of the room, which gave Louis time to observe him for a few seconds. Louis just didn’t consider it fair that every time he saw Harry, he seemed even more beautiful. He was wearing another loose-fitting top today, which skated across his muscles and revealed different tattoos, which Louis hadn’t noticed last time he saw him: laurel leaves across his hip bones. It made Louis catch his breath. Harry’s hair was piled up on top of his head again in his usual clumsy bun. Tendrils and curls hung down behind his ears and Louis wanted to push them back into place and feel Harry’s scalp under his fingers, wanted to learn all Harry’s sensitive spots and the places that would make him gasp.  
  
Louis shook his head to clear his thoughts, just as Harry looked over and caught his eye. He broke out in to a wide grin and excused himself from speaking to the woman, striding over instead to greet Louis.  
  
“’S good to see you” he smiled, big and genuine all over his face, and there were those dimples again and those kind, green eyes. Louis felt utterly defenceless.

“Alright, trouble?” was all he could manage to say, and Harry seemed to blush a little at the nickname and look even more pleased. Before Louis could say anything else, Harry was turning away again, sprinting across the studio to grab a bag and bring it back to Louis.  
  
“Found you some spare clothes, should be ok” he explained and Louis took it with a quick thank you and went to get changed. The clothes Harry had found were fine - the t shirt was a little baggy and he had to turn the joggers up at the ankles, but to be honest, Louis felt this was the least of his worries. He was going to have to do a class with Harry now with other people. Harry was going to see how utterly clueless Louis was about yoga, in comparison to even the other beginners, and Louis was going to shrivel up and die of embarrassment.  
  
When he made his way back into the studio space, he had a quick glance round at his competition – they were a variety of ages, Louis found, he was neither the youngest nor the oldest, which made him feel a little better. Harry indicated for Louis to take up a mat near him at the front and then began the lesson. It followed a similar format to the session Harry and Louis had taken a few days earlier. Harry got the class to focus on their breathing and then moved on to some gentle stretches and some positions which Louis remembered from the session, as well as some new ones which were a bit more challenging. The pace of the class was faster too, and Louis realised with some embarrassment how slowly and carefully Harry must have been coaxing him during their private session.  
  
Louis didn’t actually have time to look around to see what the others were doing; it took all his energy simply keeping up with Harry’s instructions and trying not to fall over. By the time the hour was up, Louis was hot and sweating and beginning to ache in muscles he didn’t even know he had. His hair was plastered to his head and the loose-fitting t-shirt was now stuck to him. Harry didn’t look particularly ruffled at all, although he seemed to run an appreciative glance up and down the t shirt clinging to Louis’ torso before looking away.  
  
Louis sat back on the borrowed mat and got his breath back whilst the rest of the class said their goodbyes to Harry and filtered out. When only they remained, Harry flopped down next to Louis on the mat and nudged him with his bare toes.  
  
“That class push you a little tonight?” he enquired.  
  
Louis grimaced. “I may not be as fit as I thought” he conceded.  
  
“You look pretty fit from here” Harry remarked, with a cheeky grin, that Louis couldn’t help returning.  
  
“Anyway, Styles” Louis changed the subject, “where’s this granola bar I was promised?”  
  
“Oh yeah!” Harry scampered up to retrieve a bar from his bag at the front of the class, then returned to the mat. He broke it in half and gave one half to Louis, before taking a bite out of the other half.  
  
Louis bit into his half of the bar, then scrunched up his face in disgust. “This is what I get?” he asked, as if to clarify the matter with Harry, “this is my reward? It tastes ... healthy, Harry, that’s simply not acceptable.”  
  
Harry carried on munching his bar, apparently unconcerned by Louis’ plight. “Your arteries will thank me” he insisted, “far better for you than a jammy dodger.”

Louis gave up and put the bar down. “So listen” he indicated to the clothes he was wearing, “I’ll wash these and get them back to you.”

“No rush” Harry shrugged, “Monday’ll do. You still on for Monday?”  
  
At that moment, the studio door opened and the next group of people started to come in, ready for Harry’s next class. “You wanna stay for the next class?” Harry teased, “this one’s intermediate.”  
  
“I’ll pass” Louis replied, standing up. “See you Monday, Curly.”  
  
That night, just before Louis drifted off to sleep, his phone rattled on the bedside table with a new message. He fumbled in the dark for it and saw with bleary eyes that the message was from Harry:  
  
_Bread. Don’t let me forget bread tomorrow, Chop Suey. Sleep tight, H x_


	5. Five

By the following Monday, Harry and Louis were still texting each other every day and by now Harry had noticed that it had become a _thing_. As had Liam, Zayn and Perrie, who teased him every lunch time when his phone pinged with a new message from Louis.  
  
“Urgh! Is that him again?” Zayn rolled his eyes with amusement as Harry reached for his phone.  
  
Harry didn’t reply; too busy reading the message from Louis:  
  
_We still on for tonight, Curly? L x_  
  
“Yep” Harry told Zayn, “just checking we’re still good for tonight.” He typed out his reply to Louis:  
  
_Course. Gonna push you a bit harder tonight, see if you can keep up ;-) H x_  
  
“Might hang around tonight then” Zayn remarked, casually picking up a magazine off the table. “Since I’m the only one who hasn’t seen this heartbreaker. Want to see what it is that’s made you all sappy.”  
  
Harry kicked him half-heartedly. “Don’t you dare” he warned, “I’m not having you embarrass me in front of Louis.” Just then Louis’ text came through:

 _Go easy on me, H, I’m only just recovering from last week. L x_  
  
“Why would I embarrass you?” Zayn asked, clutching dramatically at his chest as if wounded by Harry’s words.  
  
“Because you’d be all weird and protective” Harry replied.  
  
Zayn merely smiled.

 

 

Just after nine, as Harry was saying goodbye to his last pupils, the door to his studio opened and there was Louis again, looking sleek and groomed as ever. Harry sighed and pushed his curls out of his face, resigning himself to looking a mess in front of Louis Tomlinson once more.  
  
“So you’re gonna push me harder tonight, are you Styles?” Louis enquired with a sly grin, handing Harry back the bag of borrowed clothes, when the last of Harry’s pupils had left.  
  
“That’s the plan, Tomlinson” Harry grinned back, indicating for Louis to take the mat next to him again.  
  
Before they could start, the door to the studio and creaked open again and Zayn pushed his head around the corner. “Just thought I’d say bye” he called, glancing between Harry and Louis.  
Harry pursed his lips and turned away, pretending to fiddle with the cd player on the floor. “Your last class finished at eight, mate. Thought you’d already gone.”  
“Nah, I had some paperwork to catch up on” Zayn replied, still glancing between Harry and Louis.  
  
“Right” Harry turned back to him, “well, night then.”  
  
“Yeah, night. Stay safe” Zayn went to leave and then paused. “It’s Louis, yeah?” Zayn asked, looking at Louis.  
  
“Yeah” Louis straightened his spine a little.  
  
“Right. You keep him safe, eh, Louis? “ Zayn quirked an eyebrow.  
  
“That was my intention” Louis replied without breaking eye contact.  
  
Zayn nodded and ducked back out of the door way. They heard his footsteps moving away, and the front door locking behind him.  
  
Louis pulled a face at Harry. “The hell was that about?” he grinned.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. “That was Zayn. He can be a little ... protective. Sorry.”  
  
“’S ok” Louis shrugged, “glad your mates are looking out for you, I suppose.”  
  
Harry nodded and turned back to the cds.  
  
“What’re they protecting you from?” Louis enquired.  
  
Harry paused, pressing his lips together as he considered his answer. “From getting hurt” he said at last, without looking at Louis.  
  
“They should protect me from you!” Louis protested. Harry could hear the grin in his voice without looking, “I’m the one who couldn’t move for two days last week!” Louis reminded him.  
  
Harry gave a shy smile and met Louis’ eyes. He found Louis’ expression had grown serious again.  
  
“Ok, Styles. Let’s agree here and now not to hurt each other” Louis said, gently, and Harry gave an almost imperceptible nod.  
  
Harry made the session more difficult that night; he did want to push Louis. He introduced a couple of yoga positions that Louis hadn’t tried before and was pleased that Louis attempted them, even if he didn’t get them perfectly first time. The session ran over a little, as Harry encouraged Louis to do some final stretches before they faced each other as Harry had taught Louis to do.

Harry inclined his head and murmured “Namaste.”

“What does that mean? I’ve been meaning to ask” Louis cocked his head on one side with interest.

“It’s kind of hard to translate” Harry replied, “but it’s like saying – the light within my soul acknowledges the light within your soul.”

Louis regarded him. “That’s beautiful” he said quietly, “Namaste.”

Louis waited for Harry to close up the studio as he had last week, and stood patiently by the front door.

“You going to walk me to the tram stop again?” Harry asked with a smile.

“Actually, I’m driving tonight. I was going to ask if you wanted a lift home?” Louis jingled the car keys in his fingers.

“Oh .. I ... yeah, ok” Harry nodded and they both stepped out onto the cobbles whilst Harry locked up.

As they walked to Louis’ car, they talked about the Christmas parties they had coming up and about their plans for Christmas. Louis was driving home to Doncaster on Christmas Eve to see his family and Harry was heading back down to his family in Holmes Chapel on the same day.

“It’s my birthday that day too” Louis explained, “so it’s kind of tradition that I’m there with them on the 24th.”

  
They reached Louis’ car and Louis opened the passenger door for Harry, before walking round to the driver’s side. It was such a small gesture, but it sent Harry’s tummy spinning with the simplicity of it and everything that it implied – that he considered it his responsibility to look after Harry, just as he had promised to Zayn.

Harry couldn’t figure out why, but there was something intimate and strangely domestic about being in Louis’ car with him. It didn’t really reveal any more new details about him – he had a pineapple air freshener strung on to the mirror, and a slightly battered map of Greater Manchester in the foot-well. There were empty sweet wrappers in the car door pocket and a couple of cds which threw up no surprises, as Harry and Louis had already discussed their favourite music in one late night marathon text conversation last week.

Still, sitting beside him as they drove through the city late at night felt new and exciting. It was something Harry and Louis hadn’t done together before and Harry liked the way it made him feel, being this close to Louis. Louis knew the part of town where Harry lived, but needed him to direct him to his particular street, before turning off the engine and looking at Harry. Harry once more marvelled at the shadows cast in the faint orange street light across Louis’ face. He simply looked so beautiful, it took Harry’s breath away.

“Thanks for the lift” Harry said quietly, “do you want to come in? Have a drink?”

Louis shook his head. “Some other time” he replied, “I’ve got to get home tonight and catch up on some work. I really should’ve have done it this evening, but I had a better offer.”

Harry fought back a smile. “Am I a better offer then?” He scrunched up his nose and glanced out of the window as he tried to conceal his fond expression, “That’s good to know.”

Louis leant his head back against his seat. “Curly, you are a better offer than anything else I know” he replied, reaching across to touch Harry’s little finger with his own.

Harry glanced back at Louis cautiously. The air in the car suddenly seemed to hang very still and quiet, as if something between them had altered with that tiny, intimate gesture. “Is this where you kiss me?” Harry wondered out loud.

“Ideally, yeah” Louis responded softly, grazing Harry’s little finger with his own but still not making a move. “Would that be ok?”

“Yeah,” Harry whispered, “yeah, that would be ok.”

Louis leaned over and brushed his lips lightly against Harry’s, just the slightest of touches as he tried to gauge how Harry would react. Harry kissed back, soft but firm, and the kiss deepened as they both began to relax. Louis moved his lips tenderly against Harry’s, as if learning them, committing them to memory. His tongue darted out intermittently, like he was tasting him and committing that to memory too. It was intoxicating the way his mouth moved against Harry’s and Harry was embarrassed to hear himself sigh softly in pleasure as the kiss intensified.

Louis took that as a cue to bring his hand up to Harry’s hair, tangling his fingers in his curls so as to make another point of contact between them. Harry leaned into it, bringing his own hand up to smooth the back of Louis’ hair. Harry couldn’t remember the last time anything felt so intrinsically, primally good. He never wanted it to stop.

Louis inched closer and trailed a succession of kisses along Harry’s jaw, down his neck and back up again, making Harry gasp in pleasure. He rested his forehead against Louis’ whilst he got his breath back, noticing that Louis was breathing just as rapidly as he was.

“It’s been a long time since anyone kissed me like that” Harry whispered at last.

“I don’t know if anyone’s ever kissed me like that before” Louis replied, “or if I’ve ever kissed anyone like that either.” He leant back to meet Harry’s eyes. “I sort of ... really like you, Harry. I mean ... I don’t know what I mean, to be honest. I just really like you.”

Harry reached up and smoothed his thumb across that sharp cheekbone of Louis’, “It’s mutual” he assured him.


	6. Six

The next morning, from the moment Louis sat down at his desk, Niall knew something was different. He watched Louis without speaking as he went about his morning routine: switching on his computer, shrugging off his jacket onto the back of his chair, flicking though his unopened post nonchalantly. There was something different about him. Niall sipped his coffee and thought, before suddenly clicking his fingers in realisation. “You’ve fucked your yoga instructor!” he announced triumphantly.

Louis sighed. “Morning Niall” he replied.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Niall persisted, leaning forward and lowering his voice. “You shagged him? Last night?” Niall looked eager for more information.

“I did not shag my yoga instructor!” Louis hissed, trying not to catch the attention of his colleagues milling around the office. “There was no sex. We kissed.”

“Ah!” Niall leant back, apparently satisfied with this information. “Taking it slowly! Good. Good”

Louis nodded and turned to open his emails.

Niall leant forward again. “How was it?”

Louis looked at him, in that long-suffering way he had developed just for Niall. He knew neither of them would get any work done until Niall had heard it all, so he motioned with his head to the water cooler and they both stood up. They made their way over to the water cooler, in the quietest corner of the office, where Louis figured they had the least chance of being overheard.

“I gave him a lift home and we kissed” Louis whispered.

“Nice” Niall nodded approvingly. “And?”

“It was good, yeah” Louis shrugged.

“Good?” Niall frowned.

“Amazing, ok?” Louis huffed. “It was fucking amazing and I haven’t thought of anything else since. Now can we just drop it?”

Niall beamed and clapped Louis resoundingly around the shoulder, making a couple of people turn around to see what was going on.

“You have to ask him out” Niall said decisively.

 

 

At lunch time, Louis stared at his phone and pondered. There’d been no jokey text from Harry this morning: no request for a reminder, or a picture of his cat. Just complete radio silence. Louis didn’t know what to make of it and the not-knowing was killing him. Not being able to bear it any longer, he clicked on Harry’s name in his phone and pressed dial.

It only rang a couple of times before Harry answered:

“Hi, Chop Suey.” His voice sounded scratchy. Louis Liked it.

“Hi Curly” Louis replied, “I missed getting your ‘remind-me-text’ this morning.”

“Not in work till later” Harry responded. “So there’s nothing to remind me about yet. Also, ... I sort of didn’t know what to say to you this morning.”

“Ah” Louis mused.

“We kissed” Harry pointed out, as if Louis might have forgotten.

“Yeah. We did” Louis agreed, “how are we feeling about that?”

“Haven’t decided yet” Harry told him.

Louis nodded, digesting Harry’s slight reticence in the cool light of morning. He realised he should have perhaps expected it - he had already figured out he would have to tread carefully where Harry was concerned.

“I was wondering if you wanted to meet for lunch one day this week?” Louis suggested.

“I ... yeah, Louis, I’d like that”

Louis thought it sounded as if Harry was smiling – one of those cautious half smiles that he did, not the great big wide smile that lit up his whole face.

“Do we have to go somewhere healthy in the Northern Quarter?” Louis teased.

“Well, I’m not eating a cheese burger, if that was your alternative suggestion” Harry teased back and Louis grinned, grateful to be on safer ground.

“Northern Quarter it is then” he conceded. “Shall I meet you at your studio tomorrow?”

“Yeah, tomorrow’s good” Harry agreed, “About one?”

Louis hung up feeling a little better.

 

At one the next day, Louis pushed open the door to the studio to find Harry perched on the desk waiting for him. His hair was scraped up into the most delightfully untidy bun; he had a black woollen coat pulled around an oversized white t-shirt and a pair of sinfully tight black jeans with brown boots. He looked utterly tantalising and Louis almost momentarily lost the power of speech when he laid eyes on him.

“You aren’t dressed for yoga” Louis observed, holding the door open for him as Harry hopped off the desk.

“No classes today” Harry explained as they stepped out into the cold December air. “Every so often a day falls where all the others are teaching and I’m not. So I’ve been catching up on paperwork this morning, I’m completely bored.” He turned the corner and indicated to a cafe bar across the street that looked as hipster as Louis had feared.

When they pushed open the door of the cafe bar, the girl behind the counter greeted Harry like an old friend and a couple of the customers smiled and nodded to him too. Just as Louis suspected, Harry was right at home here.

They took a table in the window, illuminated by twinkling fairy lights wrapped around a naively-carved wooden Christmas tree. Louis imagined it was whittled from sustainable sources by an endangered tribe in the Amazonian rainforest. It looked the sort of thing. He ordered the safest-sounding sandwich he could from the menu, and tried to ignore the kiss the waitress landed on Harry’s cheek as she took their order.

“I’ve been thinking about Monday night” he began, and touched his little finger to Harry’s again. Something about the simplicity of the touch appealed to Louis; he enjoyed even the slightest physical connection to Harry, it felt grounding.

“Me too” Harry smiled softly. He ran his finger backwards and forwards across Louis’. It was captivating.

“What have you been thinking?” Louis asked softly.

“That it was really really nice.” Harry’s expression was open and unguarded. When it was just the two of them like this, Louis felt all the normal barriers they put up begin to dissolve.

“Me too” Louis smiled gently.

“What have you been thinking?” Harry asked, his voice low in the intimacy they had created at their little table.

“That I’d like to do it again” Louis admitted. Truths seemed to just tumble out of his mouth when he was around Harry, without him even noticing.

“Me too” Harry replied.

Louis held his hand and neither of them spoke as the waitress re-appeared with their food.

Over lunch they discussed their schedules for the next week or so. For both of them, work was winding down and their social lives were definitely moving up a gear as Christmas approached.

“Will you still be able to make our Monday night tutorial next week?” asked Harry, “I’ll understand if you’re busy.”

“Not too busy for you, Curly” Louis shook his head, “don’t worry, I’ll be there.” And he couldn’t help but notice the pleased little expression which flitted across Harry’s features at that.

They settled the bill – Louis paid in full despite Harry’s protests. “You can pay next time” Louis told him, by way of appeasement, and that seemed to work.  
When they stepped back out into the Winter chill, Harry looped his arm through Louis’, as he had that first night. He huddled into him – ostensibly for warmth, but Louis liked the way he felt pressed against his side like that. It felt right.

“Can I see you again this week?” Louis asked as they walked.

Harry grimaced. “I really want to Chop Suey, but I’m out with different friends pretty much every other night now in the run-up to Christmas. And from what you were saying, when I’m not out this week, you are!”

“’S okay” Louis reassured him, “We’ll see each other next Monday, yeah?”

“Yeah” Harry stopped in the doorway next to the studio and looked at Louis. His eyes were watering slightly at the cold and Louis brushed a tear away with his thumb, smoothing it across Harry’s cheekbone tenderly.

“You know what you were saying about kissing me again?” Harry whispered, moving deeper into the doorway away from the cold.

“Yeah?” Louis moved with him, standing closer than before.

“Yeah, can we do that?” Harry asked, “I’d like that.”

Louis leant forward to close the distance between them and there it was again, that roaring, swooping sensation in his stomach as his lips met Harry’s; that rush of adrenaline or _something_ that soared through his veins when they kissed. Louis had never felt a kick like it.

He was in Harry’s space now, pushing him against the doorway and feeling him push back just as earnestly, greedy for more. Harry’s fingers were in Louis’ hair and Louis’ hands pushed under Harry’s coat, running across the flat of his chest and down his ribs, his fingers learning each curve and dip as they went.

They kissed so carefully, slow and luxurious in the cool Manchester air and Louis never ever wanted it to end. It was too good and he wanted it too much.


	7. Seven

They texted each other every day again.

_Kind of miss you. Is that weird? L x_

_Dunno. Don’t care if it is. Miss you too. H x_

_Miss kissing you. L x_

_Is that a song? H x_

_Well if it isn’t, it should be. L x_

Harry sent Louis a picture of his cat with a bauble tied to her collar. She appeared to be none too impressed.

Louis sent Harry a picture of the present Niall gave him. The wrapping paper had the words “It’s Christmas!” all over it, but he’d lined it up so that down one side where the two ends met, it simply said “tits.” Louis said Niall had laughed a lot about that.

Monday soon came around again and at nine o clock, there was Louis, looking handsome and distinguished in the doorway to Harry’s studio again. Harry imagined he would never tire of the sight.

Harry slowed the session down this week since it was their final one before Christmas. He knew they’d both been busy all week with various parties and concerts and get-togethers, and he figured a nice relaxing yoga session was what they needed now. They breathed and stretched and he used yoga positions which he knew Louis had done before and was confident with. Before they knew it, it was ten o clock and Harry pulled them both to their feet to face each other. “Namaste” he said, bowing his head gently to Louis.

Louis echoed him: “Namaste – the light within me recognises the light within you, yeah?”

“Something like that” Harry smiled and Louis nodded.

“I like that, Harry – the idea of my soul acknowledging yours.” He paused, “is that too deep?” Louis frowned, making a little line appear between his eyebrows that Harry wanted to kiss away.

“No, it’s perfect, Louis. I like it too” Harry assured him, “Namaste.”

Louis nodded, satisfied.

They fell into their usual routine, turning off all the lights before stepping outside to lock up.

“Can I give you a lift home again?” Louis asked.

“Yeah, that’d be great” Harry smiled, slipping his arm through Louis’ without hesitation this time and snuggling up against him as they walked to the car.

Being in Louis’ car was still enough of a novelty for Harry to feel a little thrill of excitement as Louis held the door open for him again. He put a Kings of Leon cd into the player and sang out of tune all the way back to his house, whilst Louis pretended to be annoyed but secretly looked quite fond. They pulled up outside Harry’s house again.

“You wanna come in for a cuppa?” Harry asked, mindful that last time, Louis had declined.

“Yeah, that’d be cool” Louis said this time, and Harry’s tummy gave a little jump. He didn’t know what that meant. Was Louis genuinely coming in for a cup of tea? Was he expecting sex? Was he expecting to stay the night? Harry couldn’t remember if he’d tidied his bedroom. He concluded he probably should have considered all of this before asking Louis inside, but now it was too late.

He opened the door and threw his keys onto the table in the hall as he always did. He called for Sal, but she didn’t appear, so he supposed she must still be out prowling somewhere. He ushered Louis into the living room and called “put some music on if you like? Cd player’s next to the fireplace” as he bustled into the kitchen. He heard Louis shout back “K” and a couple of minutes later he heard the sound of Joni Mitchell, floating through from the living room. Harry stood in the kitchen and puffed out his cheeks. Just at that moment, Sal appeared though the cat flap and eyed him suspiciously. “I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing” he told her. Sal turned around and went back out.

A couple of minutes later, Harry shuffled into the living room with two cups of tea, to find Louis stood looking at the photos on his wall. “Good choice” Harry remarked, indicating to the cd player and Louis nodded.

“Yeah, love Joni Mitchell” he agreed. “Who’s this?” he asked, pointing to a photo on the wall of a young woman in a graduation gown.

“S’my sister, Gemma” Harry said, “I’ll see her next week, we’re both heading back to mum’s for Christmas.”

As soon as Louis sat down on the sofa, Harry sprawled his legs over his knee and leant back against the arm of the sofa. Louis quirked an eyebrow but said nothing, instead taking a sip of his tea. “Good cuppa” he said appreciatively, “not as good as mine, obviously, but you’re learning.”

Harry smiled. “Chop Suey, can I ask you something?” he said, ploughing on before Louis could respond. “Like, what’s happening tonight? Between us?”

Louis rubbed Harry’s ankle as he considered the question. “What do you want to happen tonight?”

Harry frowned. “Don’t know” he admitted.

“Do you want me to stay?” Louis persisted.

“Kind of” Harry squirmed under Louis’ gaze.

“’Kind of’ isn’t enough, Curly” Louis answered.

“Okay, I do. I do want you to stay. I’d like you to be here when I wake up tomorrow.” Harry couldn’t hide the blush creeping across his neck and cheeks.

“Me too” Louis smiled. He leant towards Harry and kissed him gently, those small encouraging touches, lip to lip, that made Harry melt with the tenderness of it. He pulled Harry into his lap and continued to kiss him, so softly, so quietly, that Harry could only sigh as all his defences dissolved once more. Kissing with Louis had become his new favourite thing – Louis’ mouth against Harry’s, the taste of his tongue, the way he ran his hands over Harry’s ribs as he kissed him – it was a combination seemingly designed to fill Harry’s soul to the brim with longing.

He ground down against Louis’ lap, feeling the length of his erection against his arse and making Louis inhale sharply. Harry could almost smell their combined desire as they continued to kiss whilst grinding against each other. It was maddening. “Come to bed” Louis whispered, “let me undress you.”

Harry stilled. Louis sensed his hesitation and pulled back to look at him. “You okay, baby?” he asked carefully, smoothing a thumb across Harry’s cheekbone.  
“Yeah course” Harry smiled, “let’s go to bed.” Harry led the way up to his bedroom, excusing himself to take a pee and getting undressed in the bathroom before heading back to Louis. There were some things he wasn’t ready to share just yet.

Then they were kissing again, in Harry’s bed, under the covers and then over them when they became too warm. Harry had never felt anything so good as the length of Louis Tomlinson’s body pressed against him, hot and hard and eager. He somehow coordinated himself enough to find some slick from the bedside drawers and pour it over them both. Then he and Louis moved against each other, chasing pleasure, his larger hand over Louis’ smaller hand until they came, gasping and panting and breathing in each other’s air in the warmth of the night.

Afterwards, he lay with his head on Louis’ chest and listened as his pulse returned to normal, falling asleep to the low, comforting thrum under Louis’ ribs.


	8. Eight

The next morning, Louis woke up in an unfamiliar bed but with a most familiar figure sprawled across him. He tilted his head back and allowed himself to remember everything that had happened the night before. Pushing the curls out of Harry’s eyes, he planted a soft kiss to the top of his head. “Morning, Curly” he whispered, and Harry snuffled, nestling deeper into Louis’ chest as if resisting the interruption for as long as possible. Louis didn’t think he could be more endeared.

Eventually Harry did wake up, eyes twinkling with pleasure when he found Louis next to him. He pressed lazy kisses across Louis’ skin and breathed him in, and Louis never ever wanted to let him go.

 

 

On Wednesday, Louis had a pre-Christmas drinks thing with some clients arranged after work. At lunch time he texted Harry:

_Can I come round to yours after this drinks thing tonight? Shouldn’t be too late. L x_

A little later, Harry texted back:

_Brill. H x_

That night, the drinks were flowing in the bar around the corner from Louis’ office and everyone was in high spirits, booing good-naturedly when Louis scraped his chair back at nine o clock and said he had to leave.

“So early, Tomlinson?” complained his favourite client, Sam, “you got a hot date or something?”

Louis deflected their shouts and laughter as he pulled on his coat.

“He’s shagging his yoga instructor” Niall confided too loudly to the group and Louis groaned as they all erupted in hoots and whistles. Niall carried on drinking, oblivious to the glares Louis was sending him.

“She fit, Tommo?” someone called, but Sam waggled his finger:

“No – _he, he_ ” Sam corrected, and Louis rolled his eyes. He remembered that being the most sober one amongst his friends and colleagues was exhausting.  
The guys dissolved into laughter and whistles again and shouts of “Oh yeah! I forgot Tommo swung the other way!”

Louis smiled and shook his head. “Right, well this has been fun, but I’ve gotta dash. Enjoy the rest of your night, guys.” This was followed by some cheers and clinking of glasses as Louis turned to go.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” someone called.

“You wouldn’t do anything of what I’m about to do, Charlie, you’re straight” Louis shouted over his shoulder and his friends erupted into rowdy laughter again as he made his way out through the crowded bar.

 

 

 

When Harry opened the front door, Louis leant his head against the door frame and sighed by way of greeting. Harry smiled sympathetically and touched a thumb to his cheek bone. “One of those days?” he enquired and Louis nodded. Harry pressed a kiss to Louis’ forehead. “How can I fix it?” he whispered.

Louis tipped his head back to meet Harry’s lips with his own. “Think you just did” he murmured.

They made their way along the hall and up to Harry’s bedroom, kissing as they walked, their mouths never leaving each other’s. Harry said he needed the loo and by the time he reappeared, naked and beautiful in the doorway to the bedroom, Louis was already undressed on the bed, waiting for him. Louis ran an appreciative gaze up and down Harry’s body and licked his lips.

“C’m’ere” he whispered, holding out his hand for Harry’s and pulling him onto the bed. Somehow amongst the kissing and stroking and caressing and touching, Louis managed to get a condom on and roll Harry onto his back to finger him leisurely until both of them were breathless.

Sex with Harry was slow and luxurious. He extended his body underneath Louis’ and sighed with undisguised pleasure as Louis pushed into him, letting his arms fall above his head in unconscious submission. Louis pressed his forehead against Harry’s and tried to control his breathing, bringing it into line with his gentle thrusts. It was agonisingly good and Louis didn’t want to rush any part of it.

After some minutes, he leant up a little, changing angle and Harry squirmed in delight, lifting his hips to meet Louis’ and panting softly. “There?” Louis whispered and Harry moaned in response, his hips quickening as he began to near his orgasm. Louis watched in awe as Harry pushed himself further onto his dick and then stilled, his mouth falling open as he came hard across his belly. Louis had honestly never seen anything so intoxicating and a minute or so later, he also came, breathing Harry’s name into his hair and gasping for his release.

As they stretched across the bed afterwards, Harry murmured, “Lou, I was thinking - it’s your birthday in a few days and I haven’t got you anything.”

“Don’t need anything” Louis mumbled, nuzzling Harry’s neck, “got you.”

Harry smiled and turned his face away.

 

 

The next morning, Louis lay under the duvet, watching as Harry gathered his clothes together for the day. “Why’d you always get dressed in the bathroom?” he asked sleepily.

“Do I?”Harry stood still and didn’t look at him, feigning interest in smoothing a t-shirt out before he wore it. Louis’ curiosity was piqued.

“Yeah, you do” Louis replied. “You never get dressed or undressed in front of me. Never let me undress you. Always scurry off to the bathroom. Why? We’ve seen each other naked plenty times in the past few days.”

“Just habit” Harry replied. Louis thought his voice sounded a little off.

“Well that could be your birthday present to me” Louis yawned, turning back over, “Let me see you get undressed.”

“Careful what you wish for” Harry replied. He went to get ready in the bathroom.

 

Later that day, Louis’ phone vibrated with a text from Harry.

_Can I see you Friday night? I know I won’t see you on your birthday or Christmas. H x_

Louis smiled softly as he read the text.

_Got to pack for Donny, but yeah, nothing else planned for Friday. Why don’t you come here this time? L x_

He texted his address to Harry and tried to ignore the butterflies that scattered around his tummy when he thought of having Harry Styles in his bed.

 

 

On Friday, he finished work a little earlier than usual as the office closed up early for Christmas. For once Louis didn’t mind. He went straight home and packed clothes into a holdall, ready to take to Doncaster the next day. He made sure to pack the awful Christmas jumper he’d had to wear to work, knowing that his sisters would love to make fun of him in it. The bags of presents for his family were waiting in the porch, already wrapped and ready to be torn open in an excited frenzy in a couple of days’ time.

Just after seven, a knock came to his door and there stood Harry, a hoody pulled over his ears and a too-large coat wrapped around him to protect him from the cold. Louis bundled him inside and hugged him, dotting playful kisses all over his face until Harry laughed and batted him away, shrieking: “Enough! I’m fine!”  
  
Louis showed him into the living room and poured them both a whiskey to warm up, before flopping onto the sofa where, once again, Harry sprawled his long legs across Louis’ lap as if that’s what it was there for. Louis couldn’t really say he minded.

“What’s in the bag, Curly?” Louis indicated to the gift bag Harry had deposited at the side of the sofa.

“It’s your pressie” Harry replied, “Sort of birthday and Christmas combined.”

Louis’ face fell a little. “Shit! Harry, I haven’t got you anything, I haven’t had time.”

Harry pretended to pout and Louis smiled, topping up their whiskey glasses with a refill. “I’ll get you something nice next week, eh? A New Year present instead.”

“You mean you’ll buy something in the sales?” Harry clarified, still exaggerating his offence, and Louis began to chuckle.

“Harry, it’s the thought that counts” he admonished playfully and rubbed the arches of Harry’s feet in his lap, knowing he liked that. Harry seemed mollified and took another sip of his drink.

“Anyway” Louis continued, smoothing his hands up Harry’s calves suggestively, “I thought my birthday present was you were going to undress for me tonight.”  
  
Harry’s expression became inscrutable. “Don’t know if I’m ready for that” he replied and Louis felt Harry’s invisible barriers fly up in an instant. He took Harry’s glass from him and set it on the coffee table so that he could pull Harry gently into his lap.

“Hey” coaxed Louis, smoothing his hands along Harry’s thighs as he straddled him. “What’s this about?”

“We just ... we haven’t known each other that long” Harry mumbled.

“No, we haven’t,” Louis agreed, “but I already trust you a little more than I should do, Harry. Do you not trust me?”

Harry gave a small nod. “There’s stuff we don’t know about each other though” he muttered.

"Well, yeah, there's bound to be" Louis agreed.  "But you always say exactly what you're thinking. Why won't you talk about this?" 

Harry shrugged. 

“Do you think I’ll judge you?” Louis asked.

Harry hesitated. A give-away. Louis arched his eyebrows.

“Really?” Louis couldn’t hide his surprise. “Why would I judge you, Harry? We’ve seen each other’s bodies before - what is there to judge?”

Harry shrugged, clearly finding the conversation harder than Louis had anticipated.

“Is it the extra nipples? Cos I’m already well acquainted with them and I’ve told you I think they’re hot” Louis smirked and Harry looked as if a grin might break across his face at that, but he shook his head.

Louis pursed his lips. “Show me” he said at last.

“Show you?” Harry repeated and Louis nodded. Harry sighed. “You might not like me anymore, Lou, you’ll think I’m weird.”

“I already think you’re weird and I still like you a lot” Louis remarked, making Harry smile a little more. Louis smoothed his hands down Harry’s thighs again and cleared his throat. “Come in to the bedroom and show me” he repeated, and Harry gave another small decisive nod.


	9. Nine

The light in the bedroom was dim. The hall light was still on, spilling a soft pool of orange into the room; and Louis’ blinds were still open, allowing the faint glow of a distant street light to filter in. In the semi-darkness, Louis waited. He sloshed the whiskey in his glass and took a tentative sip, savouring the heat of it in his mouth, allowing the alcohol to seep into his system. He waited.

Harry’s silhouette was visible against the doorway and Louis watched him carefully as he began to remove his clothes. First he pulled the hoody off over his head and threw it onto the chair next to Louis’ bed. That was followed by his t-shirt. Louis took in Harry’s dark outline against the light from the hall: soft curls, falling around his shoulders – those broad shoulders of his, strong arms, muscles still defined even in the half-light.

Harry hesitated, then seemed to make up his mind and determinedly unfastened his fly, pushing his tight-fitting jeans down to his ankles and shaking his feet out of them. He was apparently naked now. Louis’ eyes travelled down past Harry’s hips to his muscular thighs, his calves, his bare feet holding him steady in the bedroom, although Louis knew Harry must be as nervous as him. Even naked, vulnerable as he must feel, Harry’s physical strength took Louis’ breath away.  
  
He placed the whiskey glass on the bedside table and pushed it away from him without taking his eyes from Harry. He heard Harry swallow as he padded further into the room and something in the movement caught Louis’ eye.

And oh ...

Harry wasn’t completely naked then.

“Are you ... is that ...?” Louis was breathing harder now, longing to touch. He still couldn’t make out Harry’s expression in the relative darkness of the bedroom, couldn’t see his eyes, couldn’t tell how Harry was feeling. He could guess though. “Are you wearing panties?” he whispered.

Harry inclined his head slightly. The movement seemed wary.

Louis felt the air rush from his own lungs as he fought the urge to touch Harry for himself and feel the silk against his skin. “Can I touch?” he asked shakily, “Harry, can I?”

Harry gave another tentative nod and stepped nearer. He was close enough now, close enough for Louis to see the uncertain expression on his face, as if he wasn’t sure if this was ok. Louis’ heart clenched and instead of reaching out to touch the lingerie as he had intended, he took Harry’s hand and rubbed his thumb across Harry’s knuckles.

“Ok, let’s go back a step” Louis whispered, “This is all good, love, it’s all good.”

Harry breathed out slowly.

Louis smoothed his thumb against Harry’s hand, comforting. “Talk to me.”

“It’s just ... I like it, Lou” Harry replied falteringly, “I like how it feels, I like how it looks, it just ... makes me feel good.”

Louis nodded. “It does look good” he agreed, gently. “It looks really good, Harry.” He drunk in the sight of this gorgeous man, so brawny and firm, stood before him in those silky panties and he wanted to thank providence, or the universe, or whatever force it was which had brought Louis here to this moment.  
  
Louis stretched out a finger to trace along Harry’s hip, and kept his other hand in Harry’s. The silk felt so smooth, and Harry’s skin was so firm underneath it – lean muscle beneath delicate fabric and the contrast was enough to quicken Louis’ heartbeat. “You’re so beautiful” he said, his voice low in the stillness of the night, “So beautiful, Harry.”

He felt Harry relax under his fingers and shuffle forward slightly. Nearer, nearer. From where Louis sat on the low bed, his face was level with Harry’s crotch. He could just lean forward and ...

Harry exhaled sharply and let his head fall back as Louis closed the distance. He let go of Louis’ hand and instinctively let his hands fall on the back of Louis head to hold him near as Louis pressed closed-mouth kisses against the silk panties – up and down, so gently, reverently, along the line of Harry’s cock. The more Louis breathed and kissed against the silk, the harder Harry’s cock grew underneath it. Harry stood in between Louis’ legs, letting him nuzzle and mouth against the soft material of the panties until Harry was fully hard, the tip of his penis pushing over the silk, no longer able to be confined.

“I’m going to take your panties down, baby, okay?” Louis murmured, “just to here” he continued, inching the silk down over Harry’s thighs in order to free his cock, “just so that I can ...” and he enveloped Harry’s cock in the smooth heat of his mouth and Harry’s brain seemed to go offline for a while.

Louis liked giving head. He hadn’t done it for a while, hadn’t had the opportunity this year, after all; but as his tongue skimmed over Harry’s flesh now, he sighed in pleasure and luxuriated in the feeling of holding Harry in his mouth and tasting him unashamedly.

For long, long minutes in the quiet darkness of the bedroom, Louis let Harry fuck gently into his mouth, enjoying the slide and the stretch. Each smooth glide of Harry’s dick against his tongue made Louis’ own dick lurch. Each moan that escaped Harry’s lips teased a whine of his own from Louis. Watching Harry fall apart, making him lose control, felt a lot to Louis like losing control himself.

Harry tugged Louis’ hair gently, “Louis” he gasped, “Lou, stop, I ... I’m getting too close ... I don’t want to come yet.”

Louis licked a long slow stripe up the length of Harry’s cock and looked up at him. “I want you to come, Harry” he breathed against his dick, “I want you to come in my mouth, okay?”

Harry groaned and tried not to close his eyes. “Jesus Christ, Lou, don’t, I’m close.”

“Good” Louis replied, his answer muffled as he pressed more kisses to Harry’s dick. “Come in my mouth.”

Harry pushed into Louis’ open mouth, watched his eyelids flutter closed as Harry’s dick nudged the back of his throat, felt him swallow in anticipation as Harry’s hips began to stutter. All that it took was a soft sigh of contentment from Louis, and Harry was coming, engulfed in heat and pleasure as Louis’ fingers gripped his hips and held him in place.

Louis suckled lazily on Harry’s dick until Harry’s brain came back on line.

He touched Louis’ jaw line tenderly, rubbing his knuckles across it. “You handsome man” he murmured. “You handsome, handsome man. What did I do to deserve you?”  
  
Louis leaned back on the bed and smirked. “Pull your panties up, Curly, and get over here. We aren’t finished yet.”

Harry’s breath hitched, but he pulled the panties back up to his hips and climbed onto the bed to straddle Louis. Through the thin material, he could feel Louis’ erection as he sat in his lap, and ground down against it to make him gasp. “Why the hell are you still dressed?” he enquired, opening one of Louis’ buttons and slipping a hand inside his shirt to rest against his chest.

Louis grinned. “Bossy” he commented as he started to unfasten his shirt. As soon as the fabric fell away, Harry bent to take a nipple into his mouth. He ran his tongue around it until he felt it harden, then turned his attention to Louis’ other nipple, running his fingers up along Louis’ sides as he did so. Louis swallowed and let his eyes drift shut. “Harry” he breathed, “Haz, lift up a sec.”

Harry raised his bottom a little in order to unzip Louis’ trousers and shove them down his thighs. Then he settled back in Louis’ lap and continued to dot kisses and licks across and down his chest as Louis kicked his trousers off onto the floor.

“Can I suck you, Lou?” Harry whispered against his skin, “I’d ... I’d really like to ... to take you in my mouth and ...” His words were punctuated with frantic kisses which trailed lower and lower down Louis’ belly.

Louis opened his eyes and groaned. “God, yeah” he grunted, shuffling further back up the bed and propping himself up against the pillows. “Come up here though, yeah? Let me see those pretty panties.”

Harry followed and instantly let his head fall between Louis’ thighs, pushing his bottom up in the air so that Louis could still see his panties. Louis was fully hard and Harry nuzzled against his dick, savouring the heat of it and the soft smell, before taking the head of it in his mouth and gently sucking.

Harry felt like he’d waited so long for this, to feel Louis hard and eager, pushing into his mouth and making fervent little noises. Louis’ hands came to rest on the back of Harry’s head, exerting just the slightest pressure, just the slightest hint that Harry could go harder, faster, take him deeper. Harry groaned in anticipation.  
  
Louis’ mild exhale and the way his legs fell subtly wider, were all Harry needed to know that Louis wasn’t going to last much longer. His arousal hung in the air as Harry slid his lips over and over again around Louis’ length, letting his dick slide in and out of his mouth.

Louis’ thrusts were becoming a little more urgent, a little less co-ordinated as his fingers tangled in Harry’s curls. “Christ Harry, your mouth” he grunted, “God ... your mouth ...”

Harry pulled back. “Use it” he growled, and placing the tip of Louis’ dick on his waiting tongue, he stroked it firmly and steadily, never breaking eye-contact with him until Louis cried out and came, in Harry’s mouth and across his lips, gasping for air in the quiet December night.


	10. Ten

As Harry was closing up the studio on Christmas Eve, he noticed a blond-haired guy wearing glasses wondering along the street and looking up at all the numbers on the buildings, evidently lost. “Can I help you, mate?” Harry enquired.

The guy looked at Harry and a flash of something like recognition flickered across his face. “You’ve got to be Harry, right?” he asked, “I’m Niall, Louis’ friend.” He reached out a hand to shake Harry’s and Harry smiled warmly.

“Niall!” he exclaimed, “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Mate, _same_ ” Niall confided with a roll of his eyes that made Harry giggle.

“So what you doing at this end of town then - you lost?” Harry asked and Niall shook his head.

“Nah, I’m on an errand for Louis, pal, he asked me to give you this.” Niall held out the gift bag he was carrying. “Called into work this morning before he headed off to Donny, asked if I’d drop this with you.”

Harry took the bag and peeped inside, but the gift was wrapped in gold paper which offered no clue to its contents.

“I’ve already felt it” Niall added conversationally, “It’s not beer or chocolate. Knowing Louis, he’s probably bought you socks, he’s not the most imaginative” Niall shrugged, turning to leave, and Harry cackled at his honesty. Niall stopped and turned back to face Harry, looking thoughtful. “He’s a decent lad, though” Niall added, more seriously, “You won’t mess him about, now, Harry?”

Harry shook his head. “No messing” he confirmed. He reached out to take Niall’s hand again and shook it firmly. “Thanks for this” he said, holding up the present, “and I’m sure I’ll see you again some time soon.”

“Yeah, probably will” Niall smiled, “Have a good Christmas, Harry.”

 

When he got home, Harry took the present carefully out of the bag and read the tag, written in gold pen in Louis’ handwriting:

 _Happy Christmas, Curly,_  
_Love Lou x_  
_PS: Please don’t open this in front of your family._  
_It could lead to some awkwardness at the dinner table later :-)_

 

Christmas with his family was as hectic and lovely as always. His mum and step dad hugged him and tried to feed him up; his sister teased him and ruffled his hair, but later, after dinner, she sat behind him on the sofa and braided it for him and told him about her job. Harry leant back against her legs, content to be with the people he loved most, but he couldn’t help wondering how Louis’ day was going. He had received a text that morning:

_Season’s greetings my curly friend, did Father Christmas bring you all you wanted? L x_

Harry had gone into the kitchen to text back:

_Apparently, Father Christmas decided that what I wanted this year was a radio that plays in the shower and a pair of fluffy monster slippers. How about you? H x_

Louis’ reply was quick:

_Damn, that’s what I asked for this year! Think he must have got us mixed up. L x_

Harry smiled and texted back:

_You opened your pressie from me yet? H x_

Louis’ reply was quick again; Harry guessed he must have snuck away from the madness for a moment, like Harry:

_Not yet. Why don’t we open ours from each other later, when everyone has gone to bed? L x_

The thought of it made Harry fuzzy inside.

 

 

By eleven o clock, Harry was feeling warm and sleepy; his belly was full of good food and his cheeks ached from laughing with his family as they attempted to play charades. It was the nicest feeling and Harry never failed to be grateful for it.

He kissed everyone goodnight and shuffled up to his bedroom to call Louis, who answered within a couple of rings. “You survived then?” he asked and Louis mumbled something and seemed to be closing a door in the background.

“Yeah” he said, “was just saying my goodnights.”

“You ready to open pressies?” Harry yawned and sprawled across his bed to grab the gift bag Louis had sent with Niall.

“Ready, Curly, hope you like it” Louis replied and Harry could hear rustling in the background as Louis gathered his present up too.

“You go first” Harry decided and Louis hummed, beginning to rip the paper from his gift.

There was a pause and then Louis said: “Harry Styles, did you buy me a yoga mat?”

Harry grinned. “You’ve no excuse now. Got to keep coming to my classes, you’ve got your own mat.” He could hear Louis chuckling in delight at the other end of the line and scrunched up his nose in fondness.

“Now you” Louis instructed, and Harry pulled the carefully wrapped gift from the bag. He slid his fingernail underneath the tape and gently opened the paper, gasping as he saw what lay inside. It was the most beautiful pair of knickers that Harry had ever seen, made from fine black silk and edged with delicate lace that Harry knew would feel incredible against his skin. He stared at them and gently let the silk fall across his fingers, unable to speak.

“Haz?” Louis enquired cautiously, “You ok, love? Shit. Are you angry? Tell me this is ok.”

Harry took a breath. “Lou, it’s ... amazing. I can’t believe you bought me something so beautiful. They’re perfect.”

Louis heaved a sigh of relief. “Good. Glad you like them, Curly. I went to that men’s lingerie shop in town after work the other night.”

Harry knew the one. “They must have been expensive” Harry half scolded, still a little mesmerised by the feel of the silk against his fingers.

“You’re worth every penny” Louis replied softly.

They talked a little more about their day and the funny things their various family members had said. Harry’s elderly neighbour had come round in the afternoon and was most disgruntled to see Starwars on the tv. “Why do they keep making these films?” she enquired of no-one in particular. “How many times can grown men run around with a stick?” Harry had laughed until his sides hurt and so did Louis as Harry retold the tale, snorting at his impression of the neighbour.

Harry lay back on his bed and giggled softly. “Miss you, Chop Suey” he admitted with a sigh.

“Miss you too, Curly” Louis responded. “When you back?”

“Tomorrow” Harry replied “You back then? Can I see you?”

“Hmmmn” Louis hummed, “back late tomorrow. Shall I just head straight to yours?”

“Yeah” Harry smiled, his tummy doing a little flip in the knowledge that Louis was so eager to see him.

“Haz?” Louis murmured, a little quieter now.

“Hmmm?” Harry murmured.

“Can I ask you a favour?”

“Course” Harry replied, wondering what Louis might want.

“Wear the panties” Louis grinned.


End file.
